Anxiety

Dr. Inez treats problems of anxiety utilizing an eclectic approach: she works with narrative, mindfulness, dialectic, and acceptance & commitment approaches, and prescribes medication where appropriate.

Anxiety is the mind and body's reaction to stressful, dangerous, or unfamiliar situations. It's the sense of uneasiness, distress, or dread you feel before a significant event. A certain level of Anxiety helps us stay alert and aware, but for those suffering from an anxiety disorder, it feels far from normal - it can be completely debilitating. Anxiety disorders usually involve an excessive fear and worrying about a future threat.

Anxiety can be extremely powerful if we allow it to be. Not allowing it to have that power over us is easier said than done. There are so many methods to help overcome anxiety. Anxiety stems from our primitive cave man brain. Often our amygdala acts like its a fire alarm constantly going off with anxiety disorders. I encourage focusing on facts in order to get our cognitive brain to reason with our primitive brain. Speaking to a qualified therapist can be helpful in assisting with this.

Anxiety is often the symptom if deeper issues of questioning one’s worth in the world. In my office, I work hard to create a safe space where you can begin to learn to take up space in the world, rather than try to hide your true, authentic self away. My specialties in this area include: Eating disorder/body image issues, past trauma, societal oppression, past and current domestic violence, feelings of worthlessness, fears of rejection, panic, social anxiety, stress, anger, existential fear

Anxiety can be all consuming, preventing you from enjoying life. In therapy with individuals I teach ways to cope and manage anxiety.

If the anxiety you are experiencing had a message, what would it be? Often it is I am not enough, I am not lovable or I am not safe. Anxiety can be an opportunity to change these limiting beliefs. I help my clients reduce their anxiety by embracing it, identifying its message through talk therapy, and changing their thoughts accordingly. I offer several coping strategies and relaxation techniques.

We'll work on establishing an environment where you feel safe and comfortable and develop coping and grounding skills so that you can explore anxiety without experiencing an increase in your symptoms. Oftentimes, this means building on the innate abilities and resources that you already have. From there, we will look more deeply into the origins of your anxiety. We’ll explore the connections between the past and the present, looking at how disturbing experiences may contribute to your symptoms.

Anxiety is very treatable when working with a qualified professional. Through a collaborative process you can expect to develop practical skills and techniques for coping with anxiety. You will have the opportunity to practice your skills outside of counseling sessions as a way to learn to manage your anxiety, but you will not be expected to do so until we are sure you have the skills you need to effectively confront your fears.

Anxiety is on the increase after years of dealing with COVID and other national concerns. If you are feeling anxious, you aren't alone. I work to help you understand where your anxiety is coming from and use a straightforward, strengths-based approach to help you both reduce anxiety symptoms and retrain your brain to move away from anxiety patterns in the future. It's hard to change how your brain works but it can be done!

I provide coping strategies to manage anxiety and reduce levels of stress. Cognitive restructuring, Breathing/Guided Medication, and other cognitive/behavioral strategies to reduce levels of anxiety and improve overall stress management.

Including anxiety and panic attacks

Though anxiety is a healthy, natural human response to a threat or stress, it can also cause significant distress and have a very negative effect on people’s lives. There are many tools, strategies and stress management techniques that can help us learn to cope with anxiety and make it much more manageable in our daily lives. Learning specific tools to recognize triggers and increase insight regarding self-defeating beliefs and thought patterns that lead to anxiety can be incredibly helpful.

Situational, Generalized And Social Anxiety.

Fidgeting in your seat, loss of concentration, feeling a lump in the pit of your stomach, feeling that something is about to happen right now, your heart is frequently racing, and you go to the doctor they will tell you are fine. The last time you were there the nurse gave you some information but you did not read it. Therapy can transform anxiety into excitement for the future. Togehter we can move forward in calming the sensations and thoughts that hold you back from your future.

I have been working with the full spectrum of anxiety disorders throughout my career, including general anxiety, OCD, panic, and phobias. I have knowledge and training in the modalities that have been shown to be the most effective in reducing anxiety and improving your quality of life so you can focus on the things that matter most. These include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Exposure with Response Prevention (ERP), and mindfulness-based skills to calm the body.

I use Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) to treat anxiety including panic attacks and high anxiety episodes. Together, we will examine your thinking process to combat the negative irrational thoughts which produce the anxiety symptoms you are experiencing.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy allows us to explore negative thoughts that cause anxiety. We will reframe these thoughts, engage in exercises that allow you to cope with anxiety in the moment it happens. You will explore your anxiety in a deeper cognizance realizing what techniques decrease your anxiety. Therapy will provide you a mental toolbox that you will keep with you forever.